Arutz-7\'s Haggai Segal spoke today with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Silvan Shalom, a member of the security mini-cabinet, and asked him, \"All the government spokesmen are emphasizing that the army will leave Beit Jala quickly - but why? Maybe our presence there is the only way to ensure quiet for Gilo?\"
Minister Shalom: \"I think the army should remain there to ensure the safety of the residents of Gilo… There will be on-going evaluations of the situation to determine when we should leave, if at all; if it appears that the shooting could continue, then it won\'t be a matter of hours… It was impossible for us to continue having a neighborhood in our capital city shot on all the time, and I think this operation is a message for Arafat that not only our lives are in danger, but even Area A is vulnerable. Maybe he will realize that his path is leading nowhere, and he will abandon it.\"
HS: \"And if he stops, is there any point to conducting a dialogue with him?\"
MS: \"I have said before, and not just on Arutz-7, that I don\'t see any purpose in a Peres-Arafat meeting. I don\'t think it will lead to anything. Peres thinks that it could lead to a ceasefire, but as we have seen in the past, Arafat merely humiliated him, and I don\'t think there is any point in such a meeting…\"
HS: \"There is criticism from both left and right to the effect that the government seems to have no plan, but rather merely responds to terrorist attacks or other violence as it happens. Prime Minister Sharon has been silent of late. Does the government have a plan?\"
MS: \"Look, the purpose is to stop the violence, and not to totally dismantle the PA. We could have expelled Arafat and his cronies a long time ago, but such a thing could lead to an escalation with worldwide implications, and it must therefore be looked into very carefully. It could be that one day we will have to seriously consider this option… What is clear is that the concept of bringing Arafat here has fallen apart… There are two, and now three, aspects of our plan to stop the Arab violence: To target the terrorist headquarters, even if they are manned; to go directly after the leaders behind the terrorism; and now, that Area A is no longer out of bounds for us. All this together is designed to get those who make the decisions over there to stop attacking us. If not, then we\'ll have to examine the situation once again…\"
Minister Shalom: \"I think the army should remain there to ensure the safety of the residents of Gilo… There will be on-going evaluations of the situation to determine when we should leave, if at all; if it appears that the shooting could continue, then it won\'t be a matter of hours… It was impossible for us to continue having a neighborhood in our capital city shot on all the time, and I think this operation is a message for Arafat that not only our lives are in danger, but even Area A is vulnerable. Maybe he will realize that his path is leading nowhere, and he will abandon it.\"
HS: \"And if he stops, is there any point to conducting a dialogue with him?\"
MS: \"I have said before, and not just on Arutz-7, that I don\'t see any purpose in a Peres-Arafat meeting. I don\'t think it will lead to anything. Peres thinks that it could lead to a ceasefire, but as we have seen in the past, Arafat merely humiliated him, and I don\'t think there is any point in such a meeting…\"
HS: \"There is criticism from both left and right to the effect that the government seems to have no plan, but rather merely responds to terrorist attacks or other violence as it happens. Prime Minister Sharon has been silent of late. Does the government have a plan?\"
MS: \"Look, the purpose is to stop the violence, and not to totally dismantle the PA. We could have expelled Arafat and his cronies a long time ago, but such a thing could lead to an escalation with worldwide implications, and it must therefore be looked into very carefully. It could be that one day we will have to seriously consider this option… What is clear is that the concept of bringing Arafat here has fallen apart… There are two, and now three, aspects of our plan to stop the Arab violence: To target the terrorist headquarters, even if they are manned; to go directly after the leaders behind the terrorism; and now, that Area A is no longer out of bounds for us. All this together is designed to get those who make the decisions over there to stop attacking us. If not, then we\'ll have to examine the situation once again…\"